My kids are out of school, at long last; this year was a killer. Not because it was a bad year, really, but just because it was hard. Third grade homework nearly did me in me, you all. Truly.

Also I am totally over making lunches. By last week, I was letting Charlie pack his own lunchbox, which meant that he was pretty much going to school with a juice box, some CheezeIts, and a Luna Bar every day. Whatever. At least it was a Luna Bar and not a PopTart (although at the end there, I would have let him do that if he had wanted).

(I promise we’re going to eat healthy this summer. Somehow it’s having to actually make the lunches at 6 am that squashes both my creativity and my will to live. Making lunch at a decent hour, like noon? Not a problem!)

This summer, I am going to have flowers on my desk all the time.

Yesterday was our first full day of summer. We met Rita and the kids for donuts and then played at the bookstore for a while; Rita wasn’t feeling well so Will came home with us (and rode in the third seat of my car which is apparently the Most Awesome Thing EVER) and entertained the boys while I worked. After lunch (made by my children, thankyouverymuch) we watched the first Harry Potter movie, which we haven’t seen in so long that both boys had forgotten the plot, so it was like a whole new movie. Then the boys jumped on the trampoline with Will while Rita and I lounged on the porch and laughed at the baby, and then the boys and I came home and had dinner and baths while Wade went riding. Then the boys read together in bed for a while and we all fell asleep at a decent hour.

Not a bad first day of summer.

This is the part of summer I like the most, these first two weeks; we’re excited to be out of school, the weather is still relatively good, the kids are happy to hang out at home or at the pool, and we’re not on each other’s nerves yet. YET. Of course, in two weeks, when we’ve had enough together time, camp will start and save us all.

Hooray!

Five things I love about summer:

1. Grilling out, every night.

2. Playing in the yard until it’s dark.

3. Spending the entire day at the pool.

4. Little boys who smell like sunscreen.

5. Helen Jane’s White Sangria.

What are your favorite things about summer?